Process for enriched combustion using solid electrolyte ionic conductor systems

Abstract

A process for separating a feed gas stream into an oxygen-enriched gas stream which is used in a combustor and an oxygen-depleted gas stream. The feed gas stream is compressed, and oxygen is separated from the compressed feed gas stream using an ion transport module including an ion transport membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side. The permeate side of the ion transport membrane is purged with at least a portion of a combustion product gas stream obtained from the combustion in the combustor of the gas stream exiting the permeate side of the ion transport module.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A process for separating a feed gas stream containing elemental oxygen into an oxygen-enriched gas stream and an oxygen-depleted gas stream wherein the oxygen-enriched gas stream is used in a combustor, said process comprising: (a) compressing the feed gas stream;   (b) separating the oxygen from the compressed feed gas stream using an ion transport module including an ion transport membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side to separate a purified oxygen gas stream on the permeate side and correspondingly depleting the oxygen on the retentate side to produce the oxygen-depleted gas stream, the purified oxygen gas stream mixing with other gas components on the permeate side to form the oxygen-enriched gas stream; and   (c) purging the permeate side of the ion transport membrane with at least a portion of a combustion product gas stream obtained from the combustion in the combustor of the gas stream exiting the permeate side of the ion transport module.   
     
     
       2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the feed gas stream is air. 
     
     
       3. The process according to claim 1, wherein the combustion product gas stream used to purge the permeate side of the ion transport membrane includes a reactive gas that reacts with the purified oxygen gas stream permeating through the ion transport membrane. 
     
     
       4. The process according to claim 1, further comprising: cooling the combustion product gas stream before it is used to purge the permeate side of the ion transport membrane.   
     
     
       5. The process according to claim 1, wherein the gas stream exiting the permeate side of the ion transport module has an oxygen concentration of from about 10% to about 90%. 
     
     
       6. The process according to claim 1, further comprising: heating the compressed feed gas stream before it is fed into the ion transport module.   
     
     
       7. The process according to claim 1, wherein the combustor is integrated with the ion transport module on the permeate side of the ion transport membrane. 
     
     
       8. The process according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the combustion product gas stream is used in a downstream process. 
     
     
       9. The process according to claim 8, wherein both the combustor and the downstream process are integrated with the ion transport module on the permeate side of the ion transport membrane. 
     
     
       10. The process according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of a downstream product gas stream from the downstream process is used to purge the permeate side of the ion transport membrane. 
     
     
       11. The process according to claim 8, wherein an oxygen-containing gas stream is added to at least a portion of a downstream product gas stream from the downstream process and the resultant gas stream is passed through an afterburner to burn any fuel that remains in the downstream product gas stream. 
     
     
       12. The process according to claim 11, wherein the oxygen-containing gas stream is at least a portion of the compressed feed gas stream and the downstream product gas stream from the downstream process is added to the oxygen-depleted gas stream from the ion transport module before the resultant gas stream is passed through an afterburner to burn any fuel that remains in the downstream product gas stream. 
     
     
       13. The process according to claim 8, wherein the downstream process is an oxidation of metals. 
     
     
       14. The process according to claim 8, wherein the downstream process is a purification of metals by oxidizing impurities in the metals. 
     
     
       15. The process according to claim 8, wherein the downstream process is a blast furnace. 
     
     
       16. The process according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the oxygen-depleted gas stream is also used in the downstream process. 
     
     
       17. The process according to claim 1, wherein the oxygen-enriched gas stream entering the combuster contains less than 10% nitrogen. 
     
     
       18. A process for separating a feed gas stream containing elemental oxygen into an oxygen-enriched gas stream, said process comprising: (a) compressing the feed gas stream;   (b) separating the oxygen from the compressed feed gas stream, using an ion transport module including an ion transport membrane having a retentate side and a permeate side, to separate a purified oxygen gas stream on the permeate side and correspondingly depleting the oxygen on the retentate side to produce the oxygen-depleted gas stream, the purified oxygen gas stream mixing with other gas components on the permeate side to form the oxygen-enriched gas stream;   (c) using the oxygen-enriched gas stream in a combustor integrated with the ion transport module on the permeate side of the ion transport membrane; and   (d) purging the permeate side of the ion transport membrane with at least a portion of a combustion product gas stream obtained from the combustion in the combustor of the gas stream exiting the permeate side of the ion transport module.